The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is the beverage of your fall dreams, packing more of a punch than the classic PSL.
Last week, I kicked off autumn beverage season with the new Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte from Dunkin. I'm keeping my pumpkin streak going with a new concoction from Starbucks that is a true game-changer.
As the PSL officially hit menus today, the Super Bowl for Starbucks fans everywhere, the fan-favorite was joined by a new item: the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. According to Starbucks, the drink is made up of "Cold Brew sweetened with vanilla syrup, topped with a pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping."
There's 185 mg of caffeine in a grande (note to self: never go venti on this one). Compare that to 150 mg in a grande PSL, and you'll see why the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew packs a slightly stronger punch than the PSL, despite the presence of espresso in the latter. Cold brew is no joke, people.
The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is also a better option if you're looking for something slightly more health-conscious. A grande has 250 calories and 31g of sugar, compared to 380 calories and 50g of sugar in a grande PSL. The new drink is also slightly cheaper than a PSL, clocking in at $4.45 for a grande, compared to $4.95 for a PSL. More caffeine, less calories and cost? I'm onboard!
But that's enough facts and figures. My first reaction to the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew can be summed up in this text exchange with my BFF Kat, who also tried the drink today (and whose video review can be found below).
When I first got the drink, it was a consistent tan color, significantly less dark orange than the PSL. This seemed to differ from other versions of the drink I've seen online, with a pretty clear divide between the dark cold brew and the orange foam on top that eventually meshes together. But the foam in my drink must have sunk down into the drink faster than usual, which was fine by me. Just know if you order the drink it might not have the same look.
The drink tastes like a strong vanilla latte with a creamy pumpkin twist. Both the taste and texture remind me of two other Starbucks favorites of mine, the blonde vanilla latte and the vanilla sweet cream cold brew. The strength of the cold brew coupled with the lack of milk (like you'd get in a latte) helps the coffee taste really come through. But the pumpkin-tinged foam keeps it creamy, smooth and sweet all the same.
The drink comes with the sippy cup lid, as the foam-topped drinks usually do, but I put my own metal straw in it to sip from the bottom and avoid drinking up all the cream first.
I couldn't resist snagging something from the pastry case packed with fall goodies, so I also ordered a pumpkin scone, my favorite seasonal treat from Starbucks. I highly recommend having the scone warmed up; the bread part softens and tastes like a muffin, creating a perfect vehicle for the thick blanket of drizzled icing. If the season of fall was a baked good, it would be the pumpkin scone.
The barista told me that pumpkin drinks were flying from behind the bar like hot cakes (well, not in those words exactly, he just said the drinks had been pretty popular all day), so it seems like even the fairly quiet Starbucks I usually go to experienced PSL fever. The barista also told me the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew has basically replaced the Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte on the menu. Chai fans, worry not: You can still order pumpkin in a chai, it's just not officially listed on the menu like in years past.
I still love the PSL, and while the classic pumpkin drink is often thought of as a cozy, hot beverage, I think the iced variety is pumpkin gold, and it was a solid part of my fall last year.
But the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew feels like a more grown-up variety. The PSL is like New Girl's Jess Day, frolicking through leaves and answering fall trivia in a corn maze while wearing a scarf. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is like Blair Waldorf, the drink you need for kicking ass and taking names.
So do yourself and favor and try it, and check out Kat's review of the drink here!
Happy fall!
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